The two began wandering through the bustling city, just like any ordinary couple deeply in love.
Rokuya showed absolute patience and indulgence. When Kanae wanted to see a peep show, he tossed the owner a handful of copper coins and booked the whole place; when she grew curious about the candied apples sold on the street, he bought the biggest, reddest one and fed it to her himself; when they came across a foreigner's stall selling imported goods, Rokuya even haggled with the vendor in fluent English, filling Kanae's eyes with little stars of admiration as she looked at him.
Of course, in this chaotic era, beautiful prey always easily attracted the covetous eyes of hyenas.
As they reached the entrance to a relatively quiet alley on their way to lunch, three wandering swordsmen reeking of alcohol, with katana slung at their waists, blocked their path.
"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing?" The one-eyed swordsman leading them belched, his cloudy eyes roaming brazenly over Kanae. "What's so fun about shopping with this pretty boy? Why not come have a few drinks with us instead? We'll have you moaning in ecstasy! Hahaha!"
The other two joined in with lewd laughter, even reaching out to touch Kanae's face.
Kanae's gaze instantly turned cold. As the Flower Hashira, who had slain countless demons, she considered these three small fry less than dust. She was about to release a little killing intent to teach them a lesson when she felt a large hand wrap firmly around her waist, pulling her into the shelter of a broad, solid back.
It was Rokuya.
Rokuya did not even glance at the three swordsmen. Keeping one arm around Kanae, he simply raised his head slowly.
The instant he raised his head, the surrounding air seemed to plunge